Fastening device



Nov. 14, 1939. G." A. 'nNNERMAN l2,130,266

FASTENING DEVICE original Filed Dec. 22. 193e i Patented Nov. 14, 1939 UNITED STATES 2,180,266 FAs'rENmG DEVICE George A. Tinnerman, Rocky River,

signor to Albert H. Tinnerman,

. Ohio Ohio, a.- Cleveland,

original application Dezember 22, 193s, serial N6.

Divided and this application May 29,

1939, serial No. 276,309

'z claims. (ci. 85-32) This invention relates to fastening devices employingv a thread engaging member in the form of a nut and particularly to a device that is adapted to be used in an assembly where it is necessary for a fastener to retain itself in bolt receiving position prior to theinsertion of the bolt. The present application is a continuation in part of my copendingv application Serial No. 119,415, filed January '1, 1931, and is a division l0 of my copending application No. 247,158, filed December 22, 1938.

An important purpose of the present invention is the provision of means associated with the nut for securing it to a structure with which it 1' contacts, in such manner that it is not only held in fixed position but that the perforation in the structure through which the nutattaching means passes is closed or sealed by the securing means. Fasteners for accomplishing this purpose are useful, for example, inthe assembly of an automobile body wherein an opening for receiving lthe fastener is'accessible from only one side, and i wherein the opening must be sealed to prevent the entrance of water or .other foreign matter. A suitable location for an assembly of thisI nature is the fender of an automobile body. Additional uses for fasteners of this nature are in refrigerator cabinets where it is essential that the insulation carrying compartment may be sealed against entrance of moisture. Moreover,

. the invention possesses utility in railway cars,

airplanes, steel tanks, furnaces and associated types of products.

`An additional object is to provide an improved 3,-, means of securing a nut to a structure with which it is associated, involving the application of the nut fromr one side. of the structure Opposite and the positioning of it in bolt receiving position on the opposite side.

Referring now to the drawing, Fig. 1 is a sectiontaken through a support with a fastener embodying my invention positioned thereon and Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the fastener shown in 1, and Fig. 3 is a top plan view of an arti- .'3 cle having openings therein for receiving the. fastener and for receivinga threaded member with which the fastener is intended to be used.

The fastener which I have shown comprises a strip of sheet metal which has vone portion I0 ,y thereof adapted to receive and hold a nut II and another-portion I2 thereof for holding the fastener in position upon a support indicated in general at I3. The support has a bolt receiving opening I4 therein and another opening I5 spaced from. the opening Il, for cooperating with the strip in locking it to the support. In the preferred arrangement the strip is oiset, as at IB, between the portions I0 and I2 so that the portion I0 may overlie one side of the support while the portion' I2 underlies the other side of the I l support. This form of construction is suitable for enabling the end of. the stripcarrying the nut II to be passed upwardly through the aperture I5 during the assembling operation, it being understood that the nut II is attached to the l0 portion I0 prior to such insertion. One arrangement for attaching the nut II to the portion I0 comprises arms I1 that are struck from the body portion I0 and that engage opposite sides 30 of the nut IIv and also tabs I8 that l5 are likewise struck from the body portion IIl for f 'engaging opposite sides 3| of the nut II. Additionally, the arms I1 may have anges I9 that engagethe top of the nut and hold it securely in position upon the strip. The opening 20 in 20 the fastener body from which the arms I1 are formed is narrower than the width of the nutv so that the nut is supported by the body portion I0 and is held thereagainst by the flanges I9. The opening 20 therefore is inv registration 25 with the opening 2I in the nut and isalso in registration with the bolt receiving opening Il in the support I3. Other ways may be utilized for. holding the nut upon the strip but. that illustrated is the preferred form. a0 To position the fastener upon the support, and at the same time to seal the opening I5, I prefer-to form a tongue 22 by strikingit downwardly from the body a suiiiclent distance to receive the support I3.. The shoulder; formed by the oiset por- 35 tion I8, therefore, is adapted to engage one wall 25 ofthe opening I5 while the oppositewall 28 may be vengaged by a prong 21 which is struck from. the portion I2 and which is so positioned thereonthat when the offset part is forcedMo against the wall 25, the prong 21 will .snap into position against the Wall 26. In Fig. 2, I have shown two prongs 21 whereby engagement with the wall 26' is provided at spaced intervals.

Moreover, as shown in this illustration, the strip seals the opening I5 and atthe same time makes ta firm engagement vwith the supporting strucure.

To position the fastener illustrated onto the support, the body portion I0 may be passed up- 5o wardly through the opening I5 aftervthe nut II has rst been rigidly .attached to the body as previously described, and for such purpose the opening is suiiicient in size to admit a' nut of the desired thickness. Thereafter. the strip is tilted downwardly until the part 23 enters the space between the body i0 and the tongue 22,. Further motion in a forward direction is continued until the tongue 21 clears the wall 2i andthe'reby locks the fastener in place. At such time. the bolt receiving opening in the nut will be in registratioln with the bolt receiving opening Il in the part i.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that a fastener made in accordance with the present invention may be made in a simple and expeditious manner and may be eii'ectively locked in place against the part with which it is intended to be attached. Moreover, it will be apparent that the fastener is effectively held against movement during the bolt inserting operation.

' I claim:

1. A fastener comprising a sheet metal strip, a nut, means for holding the nut on the strip, and means for securing said strip to a structure with the bolt receiving opening in said nut in substantial alignment with a bolt receiving opening in said structure for the passage oi a threaded fastener, said last named means comprising a portion that extends through and substantially seals an aperture in said structure which is offset from said opening, and that underlies said structure, and has a prong extending out of the plane thereof for engaging the wall of said aperture.

2. A fastening device comprising a sheet metal strip having an opening therein, a nut having a cross sectional area larger than said opening and having a bolt receiving'opening therein in registration with the opening in said strip, means for holding the nut against movement with respect to the strip, and means for securing the'strip to a v structure with the bolt receiving nut in substantial alignment with a bolt receiving opening in the structure for the passage of a threaded fastener,

said last named means comprising a portion that extends across an aperture in said structure and substantially seals it, 'said portion including a prong extending out of the plane thereof for engaging a wall of the aperture and locking the strip onto the structure. A

3. A fastener comprising a sheet metal strip having an opening therein, a nut having a crosssectional area larger than said opening and having a bolt receiving opening therein, in registration with the opening in the strip, spaced members integral with the strip and extending out of the plane' thereof for engaging opposite faces of the nut and holding it against movement with respect to the strip, and means for securing said strip to a structure with the bolt receiving opening in said nut in substantial alignment with a bolt receiving opening in said structure for the passage of a threaded fastener, said means comprising av portion that is adapted to extend across an aperture in said structure and seal the same. said aperture being offset from the opening in ,said structure and said sealing portion having a prong extending out of the plane thereof for engaging a wall of said aperture.

.4. A fastener comprising a sheet lmetal strip aisance having an opening therein, a nut carried by the strip, and having a bolt receiving opening in registration with the opening in the Istrip and means for securing said strip to a structure with the bolt receiving opening in said nut in substantial alignment with a bolt receiving opening in said structure for the passage oi' a threaded fastener, said last named means comprising a tongue and a prong extending out of the plane of the strip for engaging opposite walls of an aperture in said structure which is offset from said opening and sealing the same.

5. A fastener comprising a sheet metal strip having an opening therein, a nut fastened to the strip, and having its bolt-receiving opening in registration with the opening in the strip, and means for securing the strip to a structure with the bolt-receiving opening-in the nut in substan- .tial registration with a bolt-receiving opening in the structure for the passage of a threaded fastener, said means comprising a portion that extends across an aperture which is offset from said opening in said structure, and said strip having spaced shoulders for engaging opposite walls in the aperture and locking the fastener to said structure, one of the shoulders comprising a tongue and the other comprising a projection that is struck from the strip at a point that is spaced 'from the end thereof.

6. A fastening device, comprising a sheet-metal strip of uniform width throughout its length and applicable to a part to be joined through an assembly slot therein, the fastening having one portion overlying thevpart and another portion underlying said part, the overlying portion having an opening therein, a'nut attached to the overlying portion with its bolt-receiving opening in registration with'the opening in said portion, the junction of the overlying and underlying portions providing a shoulder for engaging one wall ofsaid slot in the part to be joined, and they underlying portion having a pair of prongs thereon for engaging the opposite wall of said slot, whereby said shoulder and said prongs cooperate to lock the fastener to said part. Y

7. A fastening device, comprising a sheet-metal strip having an opening therein, a nut attached to the strip with the opening therein in registration with the opening in the strip and means for securing said strip to a structure with the boltreceiving opening in the nut in substantial registration with a bolt-receiving opening in said structure for the passage of a threaded fastener, said last-named means including a tongue that is adapted to engage the structure on the side opposite that portion of the lstrip which carriesl the nut, and said means also including a portion that extends across an aperture which is offset from the opening in said structure, and .a prong struck from the last-named 90111011 intermediate the tongue and the end of ther strip opposite that which carries the nut for engaging a wall of the aperture and cooperating with the tongue to lock the fastener to the structure.

GEORGE A. TINNERMAN 

